The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - November 27, 2000 - 7B The 2000-0 1 Michigan wrestlers A.J. Grant 125 pounds Clarkston 1999-2000 record: 19-23 Big Ten finish: Fifth Grant was the fifth-ranked 125-pound rookie last season after qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Backup: Chris Rodrigues Foley Dowd 133 pounds Howell, N.J. 1999-2000 record: 6-1 Big Ten finish: N/A A redshirt freshman, Dowd has shown promise in the preseason, compiling an 8-1 record. Backup: None Clark Forward 141 pounds Archbold, Ohio 1999-2000 record: 18-3 Big Ten finish: N/A An extremely aggressive wrestler, Forward won the Eastern Michigan Open in his bid to follow Damion Logan. Backup: Jeremiah Tobias Mike Kulczycki 149 pounds North Royalton, Ohio 1999-2000 record: 17-7 Big Ten finish: Third After a third-place finish as a freshman, Kulczycki is one of the most promising young wrestlers in the Big Ten. Backup: Dan Seder Pat Owen 157 pounds olson, Mont. 999-2000 record: 19-5 Big Ten/NCAA finish: N/A A questionable slot for the Wolverines. Owen will start but has many team- mates competing for the job. Backups: Ryan Bertin, Tony Holifield Wrestlers determined to avoid late-season fade '- SEASON PREVIEW By Nathan Linsley Daily Sports Writer Last season, Joe McFarland was a first- year coach who watched his team fade at the, end of the season, finishing 13th in NCAAs when they were ranked No. 8 in the county. With a summer of work and a year to fur- ther instill his system, expectations are high for the Wolverines. With heavy reliance on young but aggres- sive wrestlers, the Wolveines hope to use their energetic, dominating style to contend for a conference championship with power- houses Iowa and Minnesota. "That's the way the Michigan style of wrestling is - in-your-face, every time, and give 100 percent," said senior 174-pounder Otto Olson. Olson returns from injury last season with national title hopes, buoyed by a pre- season No. I national ranking. Heavyweight Matt Brink is ranked third in the nation fol- lowing his eighth-place finish at NCAAs last season. The ,p finishers from last season have both dqperted - 133-pounder Joe Warren and 144-pounder Damien Logan. Warren was third and Logan sixth at NCAAs. Olson may be the star of the team, but he is certaiily not the only leader. Senior Joe Degain and Brink, a junior have all begun the season sytrong and assumed leadership roles. "I thikok we're pretty cohesive and we all feed off'e ch other, not particularly one guy" Degain said. Thougth the upperclassmen will provide an example sand steady performances, the fate of the teanr. will most likely rest in its trio of young lg4htweights. Sophomnore A.J. Grant had and up-and- down season, but finished strong and quali- ficd for nationals as a fieshman at 125. Redshirt freshmen Foley Dowd (133) and Clark Forward (141) will need to fill the shoes of tIe two departed All-Americans. Thus far, the three have been dependable, compiling a 25-3 combined record in the pre- saa: NORMAN NG/0Ndy 157-pounder Mark Churella controls Tony Holifield at the Maize and Blue Intrasquad scrimmage this past Wednesday at Cliff 'een Arena. The wrestlers begin their official season this weekend. season. If they can maintain the level of intensity of the upperclassmen for the entire season, this year will be rewarding. McFarland acknowledged that youngsters must follow the example set by their elders. "They see (that intensity) when we're in the practice room," McFarland said. "That's very important because it does rub off on the other guys." The team has been strong at its two unat- tached meets, winning 8-of-10 weight class- 'es at the Eastern Michigan Open and four classes at the Michigan State Open. McFarland is redshirting one of his top wrestlers - 184-pounder Andy Hrovat, who was third in the Big Ten last season and won his only preseason tournament. Freshman Ryan Bertin will also redshirt, despite his strong preseason at 157 pounds Though they must wait to see if they cdn improve on their finish last season, the team can be sure that with the fiery leadership of the upperclassmen, there will be no fade at the end of McFarland's second campaign. One MAT MATTERS 2000-2001 SCHEDULE Date Dec. 1-2 Fri. Dec. 8 Sat. Dec. 9 Fri. Jan 5 Sun. Jan 7 Sun. Jan 14 Jan. 20-21 Fri. Jan. 26 Sun. Jan. 28 Fri. Feb. 2, Sat. Feb. 3 Fri. Feb. 9 Sun. Feb. 11 Fri. Feb. 16 Sun. Feb. 18 March 3-4 March 15-17 Event Cliff Keen Invitational Michigan State Central Michigan Lehigh Pennsylvania Wendy's Classic National Duals Minnesota Michigan State Iowa Wisconsin Indiana Ohio State Penn State Northwestern Big Ten Championships NCAA Championships Site Stateline, Nev. Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Bethlehem, Pa. Philadelphia Ashland, Ohio State College Minneapolis East Lansing Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Bloomington Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Evanston Evanston Iowa City Charles Martelli Naperville, Ill. 1999-2000 record: 5-12 Big Ten finish: N/A 165 pounds Another class where need o improve, Mar from 174 to help this Backup: Jason Rawls Otto Olson 174 pounds Everett, Wash. E999-2000 record: 21-2 Big Ten finish: N/A Ranked No. 1 in the nation, Olson missed much of last season due to injury after an All-American sophomore season. Backup: Landon Greene Kyle Smith Butte, Mont. 1999-2000 record: 6- Big Ten finish: N/A Smith will fill in for Ar redshirt after finishin Ten last year. Backup: None the Wolverines rtelli dropped s season. s 5 184 pounds 4 ndy Hrovat, who will g third in the Big HOW TO WATCH A WRESTLING MATCH: DUAL MEETS Each team pits one wrestler of each weight class against the other team. 10 Weight classes: 125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, 174, 184, 197, and Heavyweight (184-285 lbs.). A random draw before a dual meet determines order of matches. The match: First period, three minutes - second and third periods, two minutes. If score is tied, wrestlers will compete in a two minute overtime and, if necessary, a 30-second sudden-death period. HOW TO SCORE DUAL MEET POINTS: Fall (6 team points): Wrestler pins opponent. Technical fall (5 points): Occurs when a wrestler has earned and been awarded a 15 point advantage over his opponent. Major decision (4 points): A wrestler leads by eight or more points at the end of a match. Minor decision (3 points): A wrestler leads by less than eight points at the end of a match. POINTS IN A MATCH: Takedown (2 points): A wrestler takes his opponent to the mat from the neutral position. Reverse (2 points): The wrestler on the bottom takes control and becomes the wrestler on top. Escape (1 point): The bottom wrestler eludes the grasp of his opponent. Near fall (3 points): A wrestler exposes his oppo- nent's back to the mat for at least three seconds without pinning him. Predicament (2 points): A wrestler exposes his opponent's back to the mat for less than two sec- onds without pinning him. Stalling (1 point): A wrestler is accused by the ref- eree of wasting time in attempt to avoid giving up points. " De1win proves to be enough By Albert Kim B~ally Sports WnVtcr Saturday night was a night that reflected the entire season for the Michigan volleyballjteam. In a roller-coaster season that has hfd more than its share of highs and lows, the Wolverines went through another emotional high and low as they defead Northwestern but bid goodbye to the seniors in their final miatch at Cliff Keen Arena. "I think we've covered just about every emotion today," senior Shawna Olson said. "It was sad and exciting all at once. We won, but it's a sense of loss. Michigan took care of Northwestern for the 12th straight time, 3-1 (15-10, 13-15, 15-3, 15-5), and it was the seniors, Olson, Cobey Shoji, Alija Pittenger, Joanna Fielder and Sarah Behnke, who came through. After dropping the second game due to a plethora of unforced errors, the seniors came out and dominated the next two games. Nothing was said in the inter- mission aflir the second game, but there was a feeling among the seniors that something lad to be done. "We didn't talk about it, ut just knowing that it was our last game was enough to make us play better," senior Joanna Fielder said. Led by timnely blocks arid kills by the three front-line seniors Behnke, Pittenger and Filder, the Wolverines jumped out to early leads in both the third and fourth games and never looked back. Every time the teap needed a boost, the seniors came through. It was only fitting that the original class of Fielder, Olson, Behnke, and Pittenger were on the floor at the end of the match. It was a testament to what these seniors meant to this program. "This group was a group that really adjusted to us (the coaches) when we came in," Michigan coach Mark Rosen said. "We changed a lot, but they all accepted the changes and really helped make this program better." MIcHAEL HYNES/Daily One victory was enough to get the Michigan volleyball team into the NCAA Tournament. - In her last regular-season match, Behnke, with a 22-kiW formance, wrote her name into the record books, moving a tie for second place on the all-time career kills list. Pitte not to be outdone, moved into fifth in all-time digs. "I wanted to do whatever it took for us to win," Behnke sai But the season isn't over quite yet. Despite a loss to N Wisconsin on Friday, the win against Northwestern nr qd their record to 8-12 in the Big Ten, and 18-13 overall. Thy moved into sole possession of seventh in the Big Ten arguably the best volleyball conference in the nation and that proved to be enough for them to get invited to the NCAA Tournament. And there's no doubt they're ready. "I'm pretty confident of our chances with the lineup "t tonight," Fielder said. For now, all anyone can do is wait and see. For the Wolvernnes, they just hope that there are a couple more highs in store. I - Joe Degain 197 pounds White Lake 999-2000 record: 14-19 Big Ten/NCAA finish: N/A Degain is a fifth-year senior who will be looked to for leadership as well as results. He is 7-1 this season. ; . Backup: Kyle Smith Matt Brink Heavyweight Muskegon 1999-2000 record: 27-14 Big Ten finish: Fifth The lone returning NCAA finisher, Brink $ is the No. 3 heavyweight in the country, and has won both tournaments this year. Backup: Aaron Walter -. REC SPORTS INTRAMURALS The University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM WHAT'S HAPPENING Pre-Seaso Basketball o No Expere Necessary Dpqright C dtmmas ;, te information age Officials Needed! ! ?nce T- Get a Free =Shirt aecember 4,5&6o 2000 SPORTS *Officials are INTRAMURALS " Paid for All h Games Worked Flexible lours n d 4 8:oo-1o:oo pm michigan union ballroom "Free Music from the Internet: SHARING or STEALING?" Invited presenters: noah stone [artists against piracy], hank barry [napster], and susan kornfield [intellectual property attorney] d5 7:00-9:00 pm lydia mendelssohn theater "The DotCommunist Manifesto: The Practical Economics " "I" "U F i I